11-16-2015, 04:44 PM
James "Batman" Langton eyeing up rematch with Monty Betham
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Disposed New Zealand cruiserweight boxing champion James "Batman" Langton felt he was flat in his title defence against Monty Betham on Tuesday night.
Langton, 42, lost a unanimous points decision to Betham following the 10-round bout at the Super 8 Fight Night in Auckland.
"I really struggled to get into the fight and Monty brought the fight to us really," he said. "I wasn't really expecting that. Even though it went 10 rounds, he won most of them, fired off more punches, picked me off and collected the rounds really."
Heading into the fight Langton had won nine straight bouts, generally by going hard at his opponent early.
However, he made a passive start against the former Kiwis and Warriors player and was on the back foot early.
While he did not want to take anything away from the performance of his opponent, Langton believed a recent bout of flu had taken its toll on him physically and he was not at his peak.
"I don't want to make any excuses but I was a bit under the weather and I just couldn't get going and couldn't get my second wind. I was always fighting to get into it.
"I just never felt like I was in it because every round i was working on my breathing. It just felt like I wasn't there."
Betham, 37, fulfilled a long-held dream to follow in his father's footsteps and become a New Zealand boxing champion.
Part of the deal the pair had was for a rematch in Hawera on December 3. Although he initially had reservations immediately after the fight to fulfil the commitment, Langton said that reluctance quickly passed after he had a night to think about it.
"That was probably the worst I could fight and if that's the best Monty can fight then bring it on in Hawera, let's make it a real scrap."
Langton's determination to have another go at Betham was brought on, in part, by some of his opponent's tactics on Tuesday, including the way he was struck repeatedly immediately after the referee had separated them.
"I thought they were dirty shots and I said that to him. I know you should protect yourself at all times but that's how I felt. I'll be more wary of it next time."
Langton believed he would need to "close up" the fight when the pair meet at the TSB Hub, something he did to reasonable effect in the later rounds without ever being able to land a damaging enough combination.
"Maybe I should have done that from the start but I still don't think I would have had the energy. But I just wasn't there.
"That wasn't through a lack of training, I just didn't have it. It was a just a bad day."
- Stuff
.
Disposed New Zealand cruiserweight boxing champion James "Batman" Langton felt he was flat in his title defence against Monty Betham on Tuesday night.
Langton, 42, lost a unanimous points decision to Betham following the 10-round bout at the Super 8 Fight Night in Auckland.
"I really struggled to get into the fight and Monty brought the fight to us really," he said. "I wasn't really expecting that. Even though it went 10 rounds, he won most of them, fired off more punches, picked me off and collected the rounds really."
Heading into the fight Langton had won nine straight bouts, generally by going hard at his opponent early.
However, he made a passive start against the former Kiwis and Warriors player and was on the back foot early.
While he did not want to take anything away from the performance of his opponent, Langton believed a recent bout of flu had taken its toll on him physically and he was not at his peak.
"I don't want to make any excuses but I was a bit under the weather and I just couldn't get going and couldn't get my second wind. I was always fighting to get into it.
"I just never felt like I was in it because every round i was working on my breathing. It just felt like I wasn't there."
Betham, 37, fulfilled a long-held dream to follow in his father's footsteps and become a New Zealand boxing champion.
Part of the deal the pair had was for a rematch in Hawera on December 3. Although he initially had reservations immediately after the fight to fulfil the commitment, Langton said that reluctance quickly passed after he had a night to think about it.
"That was probably the worst I could fight and if that's the best Monty can fight then bring it on in Hawera, let's make it a real scrap."
Langton's determination to have another go at Betham was brought on, in part, by some of his opponent's tactics on Tuesday, including the way he was struck repeatedly immediately after the referee had separated them.
"I thought they were dirty shots and I said that to him. I know you should protect yourself at all times but that's how I felt. I'll be more wary of it next time."
Langton believed he would need to "close up" the fight when the pair meet at the TSB Hub, something he did to reasonable effect in the later rounds without ever being able to land a damaging enough combination.
"Maybe I should have done that from the start but I still don't think I would have had the energy. But I just wasn't there.
"That wasn't through a lack of training, I just didn't have it. It was a just a bad day."
- Stuff